Dehydrogenase Activity in Liver Biopsies from Patients with Cirrhosis

The activity of succinic (SDH), NADH- and NADPH-dehydrogenase was determined by the Nitro-BT method. In biopsies from patients with moderate and severe cirrhosis a lower activity of SDH was observed than in biopsies from those without or with slight alterations. The findings may indicate that liver failure is caused by a decrease in SDH-activity in addition to a reduction in liver-cell mass by the fibrosis.